Systems and methods for cloud-based brokerage exchange of software entitlements

ABSTRACT

Embodiments relate to systems and methods for cloud-based brokerage exchange of software entitlements. A user can host on-premise software applications on physical hardware, and extend those applications to the cloud based on a set of entitlements developed in conjunction with the vendor(s) of the software. The set of entitlements enjoyed by the user and/or offered by the vendor(s) can be exposed to a bidding marketplace via a brokerage engine and associated bidding service, which can be hosted on a Web site. Other users, and/or other vendors interesting in consuming or supplying premise or loud-based images of the software, or related services, can be to obtain or supply those resources through the brokerage service. The license terms including usage rates, number of users or images, security constraints, and/or other terms of software delivery and usage can be recorded in a dynamically updated entitlement database.

FIELD

The present teachings relate to systems and methods for cloud-based brokerage exchange of software entitlements, and more particularly to platforms and techniques for hosting and organizing software entitlements in a brokerage service for exposure to a bid marketplace, so that diverse users and vendors can bid to supply and consume sets of premise-based and cloud-based application images.

BACKGROUND OF RELATED ART

The advent of cloud-based computing architectures has opened new possibilities for the rapid and scalable deployment of virtual Web stores, media outlets, and other online sites or services. In general, a cloud-based architecture deploys a set of hosted resources such as processors, operating systems, software and other components that can be combined or strung together to form virtual machines. A user or customer can request the instantiation of a virtual machine or set of machines from those resources from a central server or management system to perform intended tasks or applications. For example, a user may wish to set up and instantiate a virtual server from the cloud to create a storefront to market products or services on a temporary basis, for instance, to sell tickets to an upcoming sports or musical performance. The user can lease or subscribe to the set of resources needed to build and run the set of instantiated virtual machines on a comparatively short-term basis, such as hours or days, for their intended application.

Environments can be deployed in which the user can deploy a set of premise-based applications on servers, clients and other machines in the user's base network, but also wish to extend those applications to be available for usage via the cloud. In a mixed set of premise-based and cloud-based group of application images, it is possible to maintain a set of entitlements to the usage of the software via either source. In cases where a set of software entitlements may be established for a mixed-use environment, it may be desirable to expose the set of license terms and/or other entitlements to the software, and the provisioning of that software, to a brokerage service or site through which other users or vendors can bid to contribute or consume those applications and related resources, on a marketplace basis.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates an overall cloud system architecture in which various embodiments of the present teachings can be practiced;

FIG. 2 illustrates an overall cloud system architecture including multiple cloud arrangements in which various embodiments of the present teachings can be practiced in another regard, according to various embodiments;

FIG. 3 illustrates a network configuration in which a cloud management system can perform various software brokerage functions including extensions of premise-based software to the cloud for bidding or brokerage activity, according to various embodiments;

FIG. 4 illustrates an exemplary hardware configuration for a cloud management system, according to various embodiments; and

FIG. 5 illustrates a flowchart for overall software brokerage processing in a cloud computing environment, according to various embodiments.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Embodiments relate to systems and methods for cloud-based brokerage exchange of software entitlements. More particularly, embodiments relate to platforms and techniques in which the set of licensing, usage, and/or other entitlements to a mixed set of premise-based and cloud-based software images can be exposed to a bidding marketplace for potential exchange, via a brokerage engine and/or related service. Embodiments described herein can be implemented in or supported by a cloud network architecture. As used herein, a “cloud” can comprise a collection of resources that can be invoked to instantiate a virtual machine, process, or other resource for a limited or defined duration. As shown for example in FIG.1, the collection of resources supporting a cloud 102 can comprise a set of resource servers 108 configured to deliver computing components needed to instantiate a virtual machine, process, or other resource. For example, one group of resource servers can host and serve an operating system or components thereof to deliver to and instantiate a virtual machine. Another group of resource servers can accept requests to host computing cycles or processor time, to supply a defined level of processing power for a virtual machine. A further group of resource servers can host and serve applications to load on an instantiation of a virtual machine, such as an email client, a browser application, a messaging application, or other applications or software. Other types of resource servers are possible.

In embodiments, the entire set of resource servers 108 or other hardware or software resources used to support the cloud 102 along with its instantiated virtual machines is managed by a cloud management system 104. The cloud management system 104 can comprise a dedicated or centralized server and/or other software, hardware, and network tools that communicate via network 106 such as the Internet or other public or private network with all sets of resource servers to manage the cloud 102 and its operation. To instantiate a new set of virtual machines, a user can transmit an instantiation request to the cloud management system 104 for the particular type of virtual machine they wish to invoke for their intended application. A user can for instance make a request to instantiate a set of virtual machines configured for email, messaging or other applications from the cloud 102. The request can be received and processed by the cloud management system 104, which identifies the type of virtual machine, process, or other resource being requested. The cloud management system 104 can then identify the collection of resources necessary to instantiate that machine or resource. In embodiments, the set of instantiated virtual machines or other resources can for example comprise virtual transaction servers used to support Web storefronts, or other transaction sites.

In embodiments, the user's instantiation request can specify a variety of parameters defining the operation of the set of virtual machines to be invoked. The instantiation request, for example, can specify a defined period of time for which the instantiated machine or process is needed. The period of time can be, for example, an hour, a day, or other increment of time. In embodiments, the user's instantiation request can specify the instantiation of a set of virtual machines or processes on a task basis, rather than for a predetermined amount of time. For instance, a user could request resources until a software update is completed. The user's instantiation request can specify other parameters that define the configuration and operation of the set of virtual machines or other instantiated resources. For example, the request can specify an amount of processing power or input/output (I/O) throughput the user wishes to be available to each instance of the virtual machine or other resource. In embodiments, the requesting user can for instance specify a service level agreement (SLA) acceptable for their application. Other parameters and settings can be used. One skilled in the art will realize that the user's request can likewise include combinations of the foregoing exemplary parameters, and others.

When the request to instantiate a set of virtual machines or other resources has been received and the necessary resources to build that machine or resource have been identified, the cloud management system 104 can communicate with one or more set of resource servers 108 to locate resources to supply the required components. The cloud management system 104 can select providers from the diverse set of resource servers 108 to assemble the various components needed to build the requested set of virtual machines or other resources. It may be noted that in some embodiments, permanent storage such as hard disk arrays may not be included or located within the set of resource servers 108 available to the cloud management system 104, since the set of instantiated virtual machines or other resources may be intended to operate on a purely transient or temporary basis. In embodiments, other hardware, software or other resources not strictly located or hosted in the cloud can be leveraged as needed. For example, other software services that are provided outside of the cloud 102 and hosted by third parties can be invoked by in-cloud virtual machines. For further example, other non-cloud hardware and/or storage services can be utilized as an extension to the cloud 102, either on an on-demand or subscribed or decided basis.

With the resource requirements identified, the cloud management system 104 can extract and build the set of virtual machines or other resources on a dynamic or on-demand basis. For example, one set of resource servers 108 may respond to an instantiation request for a given quantity of processor cycles with an offer to deliver that computational power immediately and guaranteed for the next hour. A further set of resource servers 108 can offer to immediately supply communication bandwidth, for example on a guaranteed minimum or best-efforts basis. In other embodiments, the set of virtual machines or other resources can be built on a batch basis or at a particular future time. For example, a set of resource servers 108 may respond to a request for instantiation at a programmed time with an offer to deliver the specified quantity of processor cycles within a specific amount of time, such as the next 12 hours.

The cloud management system 104 can select group of servers in the set of resource servers 108 that match or best match the instantiation request for each component needed to build the virtual machine or other resource. The cloud management system 104 can then coordinate the integration of the completed group of servers from the set of resource servers 108, to build and launch the requested set of virtual machines or other resources. The cloud management system 104 can track the combined group of servers selected from the set of resource servers 108, or other distributed resources that are dynamically or temporarily combined, to produce and manage the requested virtual machine population or other resources.

In embodiments, the cloud management system 104 can generate a resource aggregation table that identifies the various sets of resource servers that will be used to supply the components of the virtual machine or process. The sets of resource servers can be identified by unique identifiers such as, for instance, Internet protocol (IP) addresses or other addresses. The cloud management system 104 can register the finalized group of servers in the set resource servers 108 contributing to an instantiated machine or process.

The cloud management system 104 can then set up and launch the initiation process for the virtual machines, processes, or other resources to be delivered from the cloud. The cloud management system 104 can for instance transmit an instantiation command or instruction to the registered group of servers in set of resource servers 108. The cloud management system 104 can receive a confirmation message back from each participating server in set of resource servers 108 indicating a status regarding the provisioning of their respective resources. Various sets of resource servers may confirm, for example, the availability of a dedicated amount of processor cycles, amounts of electronic memory, communications bandwidth, or applications or other software prepared to be served.

As shown for example in FIG. 2, the cloud management system 104 can then instantiate one or more than one set of virtual machines 116, or other processes based on the resources supplied by the registered set of resource servers 108. In embodiments, the cloud management system 104 can instantiate a given number, for example, 10, 500, 1000, or other numbers of virtual machines to be made available to users on a network 114, such as the Internet or other public or private network. Each virtual machine can be assigned an instantiated machine ID that can be stored in the resource aggregation table, or other record or image of the instantiated population. Additionally, the cloud management system 104 can store the duration of each virtual machine and the collection of resources utilized by the complete set of instantiated virtual machines 116.

In embodiments, the cloud management system 104 can further store, track and manage a user's identity and associated set of rights or entitlements to software, hardware, and other resources. Each user that populates a set of virtual machines in the cloud can have specific rights and resources assigned and made available to them. The cloud management system 104 can track and configure specific actions that a user can perform, such as provision a set of virtual machines with software applications or other resources, configure a set of virtual machines to desired specifications, submit jobs to the set of virtual machines or other host, manage other users of the set of instantiated virtual machines 116 or other resources, and other privileges or actions. The cloud management system 104 can further generate records of the usage of instantiated virtual machines to permit tracking, billing, and auditing of the services consumed by the user. In embodiments, the cloud management system 104 can for example meter the usage and/or duration of the set of instantiated virtual machines 116, to generate subscription billing records for a user that has launched those machines. Other billing or value arrangements are possible.

The cloud management system 104 can configure each virtual machine to be made available to users of the network 114 via a browser interface, or other interface or mechanism. Each instantiated virtual machine can communicate with the cloud management system 104 and the underlying registered set of resource servers 108 via a standard Web application programming interface (API), or via other calls or interfaces. The set of instantiated virtual machines 116 can likewise communicate with each other, as well as other sites, servers, locations, and resources available via the Internet or other public or private networks, whether within a given cloud 102 or between clouds.

It may be noted that while a browser interface or other front-end can be used to view and operate the set of instantiated virtual machines 116 from a client or terminal, the processing, memory, communications, storage, and other hardware as well as software resources required to be combined to build the virtual machines or other resources are all hosted remotely in the cloud 102. In embodiments, the set of virtual machines 116 or other resources may not depend on or require the user's own on-premise hardware or other resources. In embodiments, a user can therefore request and instantiate a set of virtual machines or other resources on a purely off-premise basis, for instance to build and launch a virtual storefront or other application.

Because the cloud management system 104 in one regard specifies, builds, operates and manages the set of instantiated virtual machines 116 on a logical level, the user can request and receive different sets of virtual machines and other resources on a real-time or near real-time basis, without a need to specify or install any particular hardware. The user's set of instantiated machines 116, processes, or other resources can be scaled up or down immediately or virtually immediately on an on-demand basis, if desired. In embodiments, the various sets of resource servers that are accessed by the cloud management system 104 to support a set of instantiated virtual machines 116 or processes can change or be substituted, over time. The type and operating characteristics of the set of instantiated virtual machines 116 can nevertheless remain constant or virtually constant, since instances are assembled from abstracted resources that can be selected and maintained from diverse sources based on uniform specifications.

In terms of network management of the set of virtual machines 116 that have been successfully configured and instantiated, the cloud management system 104 can perform various network management tasks including security, maintenance, and metering for billing or subscription purposes. The cloud management system 104 of a given cloud can 102, for example, install or terminate applications or appliances on individual machines. The cloud management system 104 can monitor operating virtual machines to detect any virus or other rogue process on individual machines, and for instance terminate the infected application or virtual machine. The cloud management system 104 can likewise manage an entire set of instantiated clients 116 or other resources on a collective basis, for instance, to push or delivery a software upgrade to all active virtual machines. Other management processes are possible.

In embodiments, more than one set of virtual machines can be instantiated in a given cloud at the same, overlapping or successive times. The cloud management system 104 can, in such implementations, build, launch and manage multiple sets of virtual machines based on the same or different underlying set of resource servers 108, with populations of different instantiated virtual machines 116 such as may be requested by different users. The cloud management system 104 can institute and enforce security protocols in a cloud 102 hosting multiple sets of virtual machines. Each of the individual sets of virtual machines can be hosted in a respective partition or sub-cloud of the resources of the main cloud 102. The cloud management system 104 of a cloud can for example deploy services specific to isolated or defined sub-clouds, or isolate individual workloads/processes within the cloud to a specific sub-cloud. The subdivision of the cloud 102 into distinct transient sub-clouds or other sub-components which have assured security and isolation features can assist in establishing a multiple user or multi-tenant cloud arrangement. In a multiple user scenario, each of the multiple users can use the cloud platform as a common utility while retaining the assurance that their information is secure from other users of the overall cloud system. In further embodiments, sub-clouds can nevertheless be configured to share resources, if desired.

In embodiments, and as also shown in FIG. 2, the set of instantiated virtual machines 116 generated in a first cloud 102 can also interact with a set of instantiated virtual machines or processes generated in a second, third or further cloud 102. The cloud management system 104 of a first cloud 102 can interface with the cloud management system 104 of a second cloud 102, to coordinate those domains and operate the clouds and/or virtual machines or processes on a combined basis. The cloud management system 104 of a given cloud 102 can track and manage individual virtual machines or other resources instantiated in that cloud, as well as the set of instantiated virtual machines or other resources in other clouds.

In the foregoing and other embodiments, the user making an instantiation request or otherwise accessing or utilizing the cloud network can be a person, customer, subscriber, administrator, corporation, organization, or other entity. In embodiments, the user can be or include another virtual machine, application or process. In further embodiments, multiple users or entities can share the use of a set of virtual machines or other resources.

FIG. 3 illustrates an illustrative network in which systems and methods for cloud-based brokerage exchange of software entitlements can be implemented, according to aspects of the present teachings. In embodiments as shown, one or more users can maintain a set of user premises 140, including for instance networks, servers, clients, and/or other machines, communications facilities, and other resources. The user or users of set of user premises 140 can likewise maintain a set of premise-based applications 142, such as applications, operating systems, and/or other software received via compact disc or other optical media, and/or downloaded directly to set of user premises 140 over the Internet. Set of user premises 140 can communicate with a cloud management system 104, which in turn can host brokerage engine 156 that maintains or accesses an entitlement database 144. In aspects, one or more of the users of the set of user premises 140 can choose to instantiate a set of cloud-based application images 158 of set of premise-based applications 142 on one or more set of virtual machines 116 maintained in one or more cloud environments. The entitlement database 144 can store an entitlement record 146 reflecting attributes of a user's complement of premise-based and cloud-based application images, and licenses, terms, subscription rates, and/or other conditions of usage of those software resources. Entitlement record 146 can comprise, for instance, fields including a user ID field 148, an application ID field 150, a field or entry for a set of entitlements 152 to each enumerated or identified piece of software, and a set of usage data 154 indicating a usage history of the subject software images, either on-premise and/or in the cloud.

According to aspects, brokerage engine 156 can expose set of entitlements 152 and/or other data to a bidding marketplace or environment, in which producers and consumers of software images can exchange or transact the set of entitlements 152 to that software on a market basis. In aspects as shown, a set of user-side bidders 160 and a set of vendor-side bidders 162 can communicate with brokerage engine 156 to review, bid on, and receive software images and their associated entitlements. For example, a user in set of user-side bidders 160 can determine that their organization hosts 100 images of Application X on their premises, but would like to obtain an additional 200 images of Application X from the cloud. In this case, that user can bid to obtain a license or subscription to 200 images of Application X, for instance for one month at a subscription rate of one hundred dollars per image per month. In such a scenario, brokerage engine 156 can examine entitlement database 144 and determine that a certain registered user has rights or entitlement to 500 images of Application X, and would be willing to transact or exchange that set 200 images from that set of entitlements to the requesting bidder. Upon agreement on those terms, brokerage engine 156 can exchange or transfer the entitlements to 200 images of Application X to the requesting bidder, and record those updated usage rights to entitlement record 146. For further instance, a vendor in set of vendor-side bidders 162 can submit a bid to supply 100 images of Application Y to an interested user on the cloud or on-premise, based on certain usage caps for a subscription price of fifty dollars per image per month. Other bid terms, variables, and conditions can be used. In embodiments, in general, brokerage engine 156 can mediate the exchange of premise and/or cloud-based software images and their associated entitlements between set of user-side bidders 160 and set of vendor-side bidders 162, to facilitate an open flow of software usage entitlements in a mixed premise/cloud enviroment.

FIG. 4 illustrates an exemplary diagram of hardware and other resources that can be incorporated in a cloud management system 104 configured to communicate with set of instantiated virtual machines 116 via one or more networks 106, according to embodiments. In embodiments as shown, cloud management system 104 can comprise a processor 130 communicating with memory 132, such as electronic random access memory, operating under control of or in conjunction with operating system 136. Operating system 136 can be, for example, a distribution of the Linux™ operating system, the Unix™ operating system, or other open-source or proprietary operating system or platform. Processor 130 also communicates with cloud store 138, such as a database stored on a local hard drive. Processor 130 further communicates with network interface 134, such as an Ethernet or wireless data connection, which in turn communicates with one or more networks 106, such as the Internet or other public or private networks. Processor 130 also communicates with could store 138 and management engine 128, to execute control logic and control the operation of virtual machines and other resources in cloud 102. Other configurations of cloud management system 104, associated network connections, and other hardware and software resources are possible.

FIG. 5 illustrates a flowchart of overall software deployment and brokerage processing, according to various embodiments of the present teachings. In 502, processing can begin. In 504, entitlement database 144 can be accessed via brokerage engine 156 of cloud management system 104, and/or other logic, engines, or modules. In 506, entitlement record 146 for one or more registered user(s) can received, registered, and/or updated in entitlement database 144, along with an identification of one or more associated set of premise-based applications 142 for those users. In aspects, set of premise-based applications 142 can be or include locally installed applications received via download, optical disk, and/or other media, for example on one or more machines on a local area network, and/or other network. In 508, brokerage engine 156 and/or other logic can access, receive, and/or update set of usage data 154 via cloud management system 104 for the one or more users registered to entitlement database 144. Set of usage data 154 can contain values, fields, or other data such as the type, number of images, installation location, usage time, security features, and/or other attributes of the user's use of set of premise-based applications 142 and/or set of cloud-based application images 158.

In 510, brokerage engine 156 and/or other logic can receive a request and/or configuration input from the one or more registered user(s) to extend or configure premise-based application in set of premise-based applications 142 to the cloud environment 110, as a cloud-based application image. In 512, brokerage engine 156 can check and/or update set of entitlements 152 and related data for the requesting user(s) against the set of usage data 154, and/or other user data. In 514, brokerage engine 156 and/or other logic can install, instantiate, and/or extend one or more of the set of premise-based applications 142 to cloud environment 110 based on the user request and/or other factors, to establish set of cloud-based application images 158 for those applications. In aspects, a user can thereby deploy a mixed set of premise-based and cloud-based versions of desired applications and/or other software, within a consistent usage framework.

In 516, brokerage engine 156 can monitor and/or enforce business rules and/or other logic to manage and ensure compliance of the usage behavior and parameters of the set of cloud-based application images 158 for th set of registered users. For example, limitations or specifications for the number of application images, usage time, processor throughput, and/or other usage parameters can be monitored for compliance, adjustment, and/or updating. In embodiments, brokerage engine 156 can also or instead manage the usage behavior of users in connection with set of premise-based applications 142. In 518, cloud management system 104, brokerage engine 156, and/or other logic or network resources can deploy and/or adjust the support services assigned to the registered user(s), based on the user or user's usage of set of cloud-based application images 158, set of premise-based applications 142, set of usage data 154, and/or other data. For instance, a user may be allocated a greater amount or variety of technical support that scales with increasing application usage, on the cloud, at the promise, or both.

In 520, brokerage engine 156 and/or other logic can expose set of entitlements 152 to bidding by a set of user-side bidders 160 and/or set of vendor-side bidders 162, for example, via a Web site-based brokerage service. In 522, brokerage engine 156 and/or other logic can receive bids from set of user-side bidders 160 and/or set of vendor-side bidders 162 for set of entitlements 152 to set of premise-based applications 142 and/or set of cloud-based application images 158, as appropriate. As noted, set of entitlements 152 can include one or more licenses to those software instances, terms of use for that software, and/or other parameters. In 524, brokerage engine 156 and/or other logic can select one or more winning or accepted bids based on matching the set of received bids to the set of entitlements 152, based on price and/or other deployment or usage terms or conditions. In 526, brokerage engine 156 and/or other logic can exchange, transfer, initiate, and/or otherwise transact the establishment or transfer of set of entitlements 152 and/or components thereof based on bid matching, and/or other criteria. For example, one user can assume the license to a premise-based or cloud-based software application from another user, or one vendor can take on the support services for a set of cloud-based application images 158 originally from another vendor. Other transactions are possible.

In 528, brokerage engine 156 and/or other logic can update/record set of entitlements 152 to entitlement database 144 based on the brokerage activity. In 530, as understood by persons skilled in the art, processing can repeat, return to a prior processing point, jump to a further processing point, or end.

The foregoing description is illustrative, and variations in configuration and implementation may occur to persons skilled in the art. For example, while embodiments have been described in which the cloud management system 104 for a particular cloud resides in a single server or platform, in embodiments the cloud management system and 104 associated logic can be distributed among multiple servers or systems. Similarly, while embodiments have been described in which one group of servers within a set of resource servers 108 can provide one component to build a requested set of virtual machines, in embodiments, one group of resource servers can deliver multiple components to populate the requested set of virtual machines 116. Other resources described as singular or integrated can in embodiments be plural or distributed, and resources described as multiple or distributed can in embodiments be combined. The scope of the invention is accordingly intended to be limited only by the following claims. 

1. A method of managing the exchange of software entitlements, comprising: registering a set of premise-based applications installed on at least one set of user machines in an entitlement database; instantiating a first set of virtual machines in at least one cloud computing environment; instantiating a set of cloud-based images of the set of premise-based applications in the first set of virtual machines; recording a set of entitlements for usage of the set of premise-based applications and the set of cloud-based imagines in the entitlement database; and exposing the set of entitlements through a brokerage engine for exchange with at least one other set of user machines or vendors.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one cloud computing environment comprises a set of resource servers configured to deliver resources to instantiate the first set of virtual machines.
 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of entitlements comprises at least one of a number of users of the set of premise-based applications, a number of images of the set of premise-based applications, an upgrade entitlement, a maximum run time for the set of premise-based applications, or a set of support services related to the set of premise-based application or set of cloud-based images.
 4. The method of claim 1, further comprising updating the set of entitlements.
 5. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a set of bids for exchange of the set of entitlements via the brokerage engine.
 6. The method of claim 5, further comprising generating a transfer of the set of entitlements based on a winning bid.
 7. The method of claim 6, wherein the winning bid is based on a highest subscription price for the set of entitlements.
 8. The method of claim 6, wherein the winning bid is based on a closest match to a set of usage rules provided by a vendor of the set of premise-based applications or set of cloud-based images.
 9. The method of claim 1, wherein exposing the set of entitlements through a brokerage engine for exchange comprises providing access to the set of entitlements via an online brokerage service.
 10. The method of claim 7, wherein the online brokerage service comprises a Web site.
 11. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one cloud environment comprises a plurality of cloud environments.
 12. A system for managing the exchange of software entitlements, comprising: a network interface to a first set of virtual machines in at least one cloud computing environment; and a brokerage engine, communicating with the first set of virtual machines via the network interface, the brokerage engine being configured to— register a set of premise-based applications installed on at least one set of user machines in an entitlement database, instantiate a first set of virtual machines in at least one cloud computing environment, instantiate a set of cloud-based images of the set of premise-based applications in the first set of virtual machines, record a set of entitlements for usage of the set of premise-based applications and the set of cloud-based imagines in the entitlement database, and expose the set of entitlements for exchange with at least one other set of user machines or vendors.
 13. The system of claim 12, wherein the at least one cloud computing environment comprises a set of resource servers configured to deliver resources to instantiate the first set of virtual machines.
 14. The system of claim 12, wherein the set of entitlements comprises at least one of a number of users of the set of premise-based applications, a number of images of the set of premise-based applications, an upgrade entitlement, a maximum run time for the set of premise-based applications, or a set of support services related to the set of premise-based application or set of cloud-based images.
 15. The system of claim 12, wherein the brokerage engine is further configured to update the set of entitlements.
 16. The system of claim 12, wherein the brokerage engine is further configured to receive a set of bids for exchange of the set of entitlements via the brokerage engine.
 17. The system of claim 16, wherein the brokerage engine is further configured to generate a transfer of the set of entitlements based on a winning bid.
 18. The system of claim 16, wherein the winning bid is based on a highest subscription price for the set of entitlements.
 19. The system of claim 16, wherein the winning bid is based on a closest match to a set of usage rules provided by a vendor of the set of premise-based applications or set of cloud-based images.
 20. The system of claim 12, wherein exposing the set of entitlements comprises providing access to the set of entitlements via an online brokerage service.
 21. The system of claim 20, wherein the online brokerage service comprises a Web site.
 22. The system of claim 12, wherein the at least one cloud environment comprises a plurality of cloud environments. 